Delhi High Court directs 98 private and unaided schools to refund 75 per cent excess fee and deposit it in 10 days as cash/FDR/ bank guarantee with registrar, says ANI.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Najmi Waziri took strong exception that over six years have passed since 2011 and the schools have failed to comply with Justice Anil Dev Singh committee recommendations to refund the excess fees on some pretext or the other.

“We had given you adequate time to schools to put your house in order. Yet, the schools have not complied with our order. They must themselves deposit the amount extracted in excess from students.”We had given you adequate time to schools to put your house in order. Yet, the schools have not complied with our order. They must themselves deposit the amount extracted in excess from students.

“We acknowledge that there may be variations in the amount calculated by the committee. But to say that halt the whole process, is not fair. We can’t pass a blanket order that don’t recover the money. You deposit the amount and we are inclined to give an expeditious hearing,” the bench observed.

According to a government official, the amount collectively owed by the schools amounted to around Rs 300 crore.

Last month, the Delhi government’s proposal to take over 449 private unaided schools got the official nod by L-G Anil Baijal. However, the government officials told the Indian Express that at least 17 schools had already “refunded excess fee charged from parents despite government orders”.

According to a government official, the amount collectively owed by the schools amounted to around Rs 300 crore.

Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “The schools will not be allowed to loot students like they used to do under previous governments due to political collusion. But if they don’t implement, we will take them over as a last resort. I hope we don’t have to take over.”